From Best Friends To Lovers

7. Finding Out About His Absence

After breakfast, Carl showed Anna what he found. Anna was impressed to say the least. "So what now?" She asked.

"I'll keep looking for more on how to kill him. As for you two, see what you can find at Castle Frankenstein." Carl replied.

"What does that have to do with Dracula?"

"Just go."

Gabriel spun her around. "Come on. I learned a long time ago to listen to him."

Anna nodded and followed him. They went to the armory to pack some weapons and left on horseback to Castle Frankenstein.

On the ride to Castle Frankenstein, it was silent. So Gabriel decided to break it. "It's nice to be riding Twilight again after all these years."

Anna looked at him. "I would guess so. He's missed his rider as well. He refused to eat for a month. Sage couldn't do anything for the life of him."

"How did you get him to eat again?"

"Lots of reassuring that you'd be back. Even though I wasn't so sure myself."

"I guess it worked. He's as healthy as when you got him."

"Shadow here was getting worried when he wouldn't eat. She almost refused to eat herself. The two have gotten quite close since your absence."

At Anna's declaration, Shadow whinnied. "Seems like she's agreeing with you."

"We all missed you. I just happen to be the one to miss you the most. I didn't want to tell you last night, but I locked myself in my room except for training for the first six months you were gone." She said then looked away ashamed.

Gabriel rode up next to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I don't blame you. If I had my memories in tact when I got there, I would have done the same thing. Just finding out you're in love with your best friend who returns those feelings and then one leaves, it's hard on both of them because they both know their hearts will always belong to each other."

"After four years and never returning, I thought for sure you never would. At first I wanted to die, but then I realized you wouldn't want me to. So then I focused all my time on killing Dracula. Everything I did, I did for you." She said as they stopped in front of their destination.

They get off their horses and quickly tie them to a pole. Gabriel pulled her in for a hug. "It's ok. I'm here now and that's all that matters."

Anna nodded. "I know. I love you so much."

"I love you too, My Darling." He replied and kissed her forehead.

Anna led him inside the castle.

A few minutes later, the two were rushing out from the roof being chased by Velken in warewolf form. Gabriel hooked his grapple to a tree across the pit, grabbed Anna, and swung down to the rocky land below. Anna rolled in a somersault and got up. Gabriel did the same. "You alright, Love?" He asked.

She brushed herself off. "I'm fine. But that landing I think bruised my right knee. I'm ok though. It doesn't hurt." It started to pour down rain. "Great. It's raining." She said sarcastically. She looked around and recognized where she was. "I know where we are. The old windmill isn't far from here. Lets take shelter there." She said as she started to lead the way.

Gabriel followed.